Unfinished Business

Floor Speech

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is unconscionable that Republicans are adjourning the House early rather than staying to work on issues to keep Americans safe, whether that is giving us a vote to prevent dangerous people like terrorists from obtaining a machine gun or keeping toxic water from flowing in Flint, Michigan, or addressing the Zika public health crisis.

Zika really hits home for me because I represent the Tampa Bay area in the State of Florida. It was January when we had the first cases of Zika announced in Florida. It was February when public health experts, including the CDC and the President, said we need an emergency bill to develop vaccines to prevent birth defects and diagnose cases. It was March when we had hearings where public health experts expressed a sense of urgency of the Congress to act.

But here we are in July, 6 months later, with almost 300 cases in Florida, and 43 are pregnant women. We had the first case in Florida of a baby born with microcephaly. It is very serious. Those babies can't see, they can't hear, they can't walk.

I am proud of my Democratic colleagues who have remained in the Capitol to work.

I am asking: Where are the Republicans? Why did you adjourn early rather than stay here to work to keep the American people safe?

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